The Luna’s Second Chance Mate

Chapter 44

Larissa’s POV

Blood was rushing through my ears. My heart was pounding so hard that it felt like it would leap out my chest any minute now. This could not be happening.

“Declan?” I called out, pulling myself free from Kaden’s hold as I staggered backwards. My legs felt like jelly as I walked over to the spot where I had last seen him standing. Where could he have gone?

“Declan!” I yelled out again, hoping that he would answer. He had to be around somewhere, he must be. I could already feel the dizziness start to creep in as I turned back to Kaden who was now staring back at me with a horrified look on his face.

“I-I can’t see him anywhere, Kaden. H-He was right here, I swear. He was standing right here. I swear I saw him.”

But he was paying no attention to me, and I knew his mind was racing just like mine was.

“Declan!” Kaden called out, walking in through the field and disappearing behind a tree. As fast as I could, I ran in the opposite direction to see if I would find Declan elsewhere. I ran…pushing myself through the thickets and trees and ignoring the pain on my skin as the branches scraped me. All I could think of at that moment was Declan.

I could already feel the tears welling up in my eyes. My hands shook with fear as a hundred different scenarios played out in my head, reminding me of the exact reason I thought coming outside was a bad idea. We were not safe here, I could feel it in the deepest part on my bones.

What if something happened to Declan?

I would never ever forgive myself for not pushing harder for us to stay in instead of coming out here. Nevertheless, I continued to race through the trees, yelling his name over and over again, praying to the goddess for a miracle…hoping and wishing that he was fine…that maybe he was just somewhere around and we were yet to find him.

After a few moments of endless searching through the trees, I circled back to the spot I had been standing in the first time, only for me to come face-to-face with Kaden who had a grave look on his face and I immediately knew that he had no luck either.

This was all my fault. The tears I had been holding in finally broke through, racking my shoulders from the intensity. “I shouldn’t have taken my eyes off him,” I sobbed, forcing out the words through the pain in my chest. “I’ve looked everywhere but I couldn’t find him. I-I been calling out for him but I’m getting zero responses. What if something happens to him? What if h-he’s hurt or even lost? It’ll be all my fault. I shouldn’t have let us come outside in the first place…”

I broke off at this point, unable to hold the tears back any longer. Bowing my head, I sobbed bitterly into my hands. “Declan always answers to his name, he always answers when I call him…”

The tears poured down my cheeks. The more I tried to control it, the worse it became. I shook my head to stop myself from crying but I could not help it.

Kaden did nothing but stare at me and I knew exactly what he was thinking. He was mad at me. He was angry with me for letting Declan out of my sight. I knew from experience how protective he was of his son, and I was ready to bear the brunt of it if he decided to pour out his anger on me.

And I deserved it. I deserved to be yelled at. I was Declan’s nanny, my job was to watch over him at all times. How could I be so stupid? The thought of Kaden being angry with me sent another sob coursing through me. My chest burned.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I…”

I was cut off when I felt Kaden’s hand on mine. To my utmost shock, he pulled me into a tight hug. A sob died in my throat and I froze in surprise. This…this was not the reaction I was expecting from him. Where was the yelling? The anger?

“You.. y-you’re not mad at me?” I mumbled into his shirt, still confused.

“Stop apologizing, Issa. It’s not your fault. We were both here and neither of us noticed him slip away. I’m not mad at you, okay?” As he spoke, he pulled away slightly to wipe my face with his left hand.

I allowed his words to register in my head. He really wasn’t mad. I searched his eyes for any signs but he just looked worried. My eyes brimmed with tears. I could hardly believe that he was not yelling at me. I had gotten so used to being at the end of his anger that I forget that things had changed between us.

“Stop crying, okay?” He cooed. “These woods are very large. We just need to look deeper. You know how Declan is, he’s probably sitting somewhere so immersed with his crickets that he’s distracted.”

I gave a nod, trying to be positive. That made sense. Declan got distracted a lot, so that was true.

“Let’s split up again,” he continued. “I’ll go through the other side of the woods while you check the house for him, just in case he’s back there.”

“Okay.”

We both took off in opposite directions and I made my way through the back door and into the kitchen. I looked in Declan’s room and in the bathroom, still calling out his name in case he was hiding somewhere or trying to play a prank on us. After searching for a while, I ended up back in front of the house. Seconds later, Kaden emerged as well and we exchanged looks as he shook his head.

My whole body shook with dread as I wondered if my initial fear had come true. What if the same people who had tried to harm me had somehow gotten to Declan?

Kaden still did not yell at me or blame me. He only tugged at my arm. “This way. There’s one place left to…”

He suddenly trailed off. I turned to look at him to see why he had gone quiet only to see that his eyes were closed as he strained to one side of the woods.

“What is it?”

“I think I hear something. Footsteps.” He motioned me to follow. I grabbed my skirts and ran after him, hope filling my chest as I prayed to the goddess for Declan to be safe. Kaden led me to a part of the woods which I recognised. It was the spot where those men had held me down the last time they ambushed us. At that memory, involuntary chills ran down my spine, but I shook them off, reminding myself what I was here for.

As Kaden pushed aside a couple of shrubs, I cried out in relief when I saw Declan sitting cross-legged in the middle of the woods, his small hands placed on his legs. By his side sat a strange man I not seen before. All I could tell by looking at him was that he was definitely a werewolf. He was sitting close to the Declan–too close for my liking–with a cynical smile on his face.

The stranger looked up as we came into view his, lips curving in a smirk. “Ah..” he spoke up, nudging Declan lightly. “Daddy and his bitch are here.”

My ears burned. “Declan, get away from him!” I yelled out at the same time Kaden lunged forward to grab him away from the strange man. I swept Declan into my arms and hugged him tightly, checking to see if he was okay.

The stranger, however, was unfazed by all of this. Instead he let out a chuckle and waved lightly at Declan. “Go back to Daddy now, and don’t forget what I told you, okay?”

Chills ran down my spine.

“Get the fuck away from my son!” Kaden roared. “Who the fuck are you?!”

The man only chuckled once more.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

With a loud growl, Kaden charged at him, arms outstretched to grab him by the neck. But the stranger was faster than expected. He expertly dodged the blow and jumped onto a tree, still laughing. “Bye now, Griffin. This is only the beginning.”

And he was gone.

Kaden tried to go after him, but it was no use. It was almost as if he had vanished into thin air.

I still could not comprehend what the hell had just happened as my hands shook with fear. I hugged Declan again and examined his body. “Did he hurt you? Did he do anything to you?” I asked frantically, stroking his cheeks and checking his arms and legs to make sure he wasn’t injured.

“No, he didn’t hurt me,” Declan said in a small voice.

Kaden quickly approached us and I could see the relief in his eyes. He picked Declan up and put him in his lap, kissing his forehead lightly. I tried to stay out of Kaden’s way seeing as he was still seething so much that the veins in his neck looked like they were nearly popping out.

I understood perfectly. The thought of that foul mouthed stranger spending so much time with Declan was sickening. Only the goddess knows what nonsense he must have been filling the boy’s head with. As if he was reading my mind, Kaden suddenly asked Declan the question that had been on my mind. “Did that man say anything to you? What did he tell you?” He pressed on.

“Kaden,” I whispered rubbing his shoulder to calm him down. “I know you’re pissed off right now, but please let’s not overwhelm him with so many questions. One at a time.”

He inhaled deeply and I knew he was frustrated.

I knelt to the ground so I would be face-to-face with Declan, and then I gently touched his hair. “Do you remember anything that man said to you?” I asked gently. “If you don’t, it’s okay. We can all go back in and I’ll make you a cup of vanilla milk, hmm?”

He was quiet for a few seconds and then he gave a very slow nod.

“Good boy,” I said, leaning down to kiss each of his cheeks. “Can you tell daddy and I everything you remember?”

He nodded again.

Kaden moved forward expectantly.

“He said daddy is next in line. And he said they are watching us, and we should get ready for w-wa..” he trailed off and it seemed he was finding it difficult to pronounce.

“War?” I offered, dread already filling me up.

“Yes, yes, that’s what he said.”

Kaden and I exchanged looks. “Did he say anything else?” Kaden asked again.

Declan sucked on his finger and kicked at the sand. “There was also something he said about the moon.”

“The moon is coming for you,” I heard Kaden mutter much to my surprise. I faced him.

“Do you know who that man is?”

“It’s not just one person, I suspect it is an entire pack led by someone whose plan is to destroy Griffinhowl. I have encountered two people in the last two months who tried to hurt me, and they said these exact words to me. The moon is coming for you.”

My heart sank and I lowered myself to the floor. Why was this happening? Why now…now when we were having a very nice time getting to know each other and spending time together. Why did this have to happen and destroy everything? And who were these people anyway? Couldn’t they just leave us alone?

I felt a lump in my throat again and I tried to hold myself together. “Kaden, I don’t think this place is safe for us. We need to leave,” I said, recalling our conversation earlier today and what he had said about us being safe because he owned the land. But by the looks of things, these people did not care about that.

Not to mention the fact that there were only three of us. If they somehow came back to ambush us, we stood no chance against them.

“Please, Kaden,” I pleaded. “I know you said you didn’t want to but we need to go. For Declan…before something else happens.”

Kaden nodded in agreement. I knew that he was unhappy about our trip being cut short, and I was too, but we had no other choice as it was. Letting out a sigh, he knelt to the ground and relieved me of carrying Declan, and then he held his hand out to me which I gratefully took. I needed that support right about now.

As we slowly made our way back to the cabin, he squeezed my arm reassuringly. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you both, ever. You’re my family now, do you understand? Know that you are safe with me. I will always protect you both, and anyone who tries to compromise that will not live to tell the tale. You’ll be fine. We all will.”

Maybe it was his words and the certainty laced in them, but I knew he meant everything he was saying. I continued to hold onto his hand until my eyes watered over, but not once did I let go.